Grain-steamer



(No Model.)

B. T. BUTLER.-

GRAIN STEAMBR.

Patented Aug. 31,1897.

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"m: mums PH'ERS co. mmaur UNITED STAT S ATENT I FFICE= ELI T. BUTLER, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

'G RAlN-STEAMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 589,334, dated August31, 1897.

Application filed January 30, 1897. Serial No. 621,309. (No model.) A

T or whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELI T. BUTLER, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvement-s in Grain- Steamers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others I skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform part of this specification.

This invention relates to grain-steamers; and the object is to providean apparatus of improved form and of simple and inexpen- .Siveconstruction for thoroughly and effectually subjecting grain to theaction of steam for toughening it before grinding.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafterfully described and claimed and illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, a portionof the same being in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of thehopper and chute. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the steamer. Fig. 4.- is asectional plan View on line l l, the hopper and chute being removed.

A designates the outer shell or casin g of the steamer, open at itslower end at B to receive lamp-stove B or other heating mechanism.Suspended from the top of the shell is the L- shaped boiler O,surrounded by air-space D, which affords free circulation of heat aroundthe same. In the upper portion of the shell and overhanging the boileris feed-water reservoir E, which communicates through gagetube F withboiler O, the tube serving the double function of passing water to theboiler and indicating the height of the water therein. Valves G arearranged as usual in conjunction with the tube, as are also lesservalves G. Shell A forms the outer wall of reservoir E, as shown, and thesame is provided with top door E. While the heat from the lamp does notact directly on said reservoir, as on the boiler, yet the hot airpassing upward through the air-space surrounding the boiler has theeffect of Warming the feedwater.

II is the removable top for the boiler, and secured thereto anddepending therethrough in the boiler is chute I, having hopper J,eXtending above the structure. The inner side of the lower end of thechute is cut away at I to the upper part of the boiler and surrounds thedepending chute and enters therein through openings N and acts directlyon the grain as it drops from one shelf to another. The grain is turnedover and over in passing down the inclined shelves, and slides orextension-pieces M regulate the depth or Volume of grain passingthrough, permitting a greater or less flow, as desired. The grain havingbeen thus thoroughly subjected to the action of steam is dischargedthrough spout K to the first break-roll. WVater is fed to the boiler asneeded through the glass gage-tube from the reservoir E.

Various means are employed to toughen the outer covering of wheat toprevent abrasion during the process of breaking and reducing to flour.In some cold Water is used, a slow process which requires much handlingand time for the Wheat to absorb the necessary moisture. A quickermethod contemplates the use of hot water, which does the work veryunevenly, wetting some kernels more than others. Steam is alsoextensively used under considerable pressure, and though a better methodof treating the grain than those just mentioned requires much attentionto regulate properly. I prefer to use steam under no pressure andimmediately applied to the grain, as contemplated by the apparatusherein shown and described, when the surface of the kernels isthoroughly exposed to the moisture, which is quickly absorbed. The grainis thus very effectually and rapidly treated, there being a continuousflow of the same through the steamer from hopper J to the firstbreak-roll of the mill.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An improved grain-steamer, comprising a generator formed with an openvertical eX- tension which constitutes a steam-chamber, a removablecover for the chamber, a chute carried by the cover and depending intothe chamber and open thereto, and a discharge for the chute,substantially as shown and de' scribed.

2. An improved grain-steamer, comprising an outer shell or easing, agenerator therein and removed from the upright walls of the casingwhereby the same is surrounded by an airspace, a heater beneath thegenerator, and a grain passage-way through the upper portion of thegenerator and open thereto to admit steam which acts on the'grain,substantially as shown and described.

3. An improved grain-steamer, comprising a shell or casing, an L-sl1apedsteam-generator therein, a feed-water reservoir overhanging thehorizontal portion of the generator but separated therefrom to form anair-circulating space, a grain passage-way through the upper portion ofthe generator to subject the grain to the action of the steam, and aheater beneath the generator, substantially as shown and described.

l. An improved grain-steamer, comprising an outer shell or casing, astean1-generator therein, means for subjecting the grain to the actionof the steam, and a feed-water reservoir having its outer wall formed bythe shell or casin g and at its inner side separated from the generatorby an air-space, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the outer casing or shell a steam-generator and anelevated feedwater reservoir within the casin g, and a transparentgage-tube for passing water from the reservoir to the generator and alsofor indicating the height of water in the latter, substantially as shownand described.

6. The combination of a generator, an elevated feed-water reservoir, anda valved gagetube for passing water from the reservoir to the generatorand for indicating the height of the water in the generator,substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination of a casing, aheater at the base thereof, asteam-generator and a feed-water reservoir depending into the easing andclosing the upper end thereof, and a grain-chute extending through theupper portion of the generator and open thereto above the waterdine,substantiallyas shown and described.

S. In a wheat-steamer, the combination of a generator open at its upperend, an outwardly-extending spout permanently secured in the wallthereof, a vertically-elongated chute open from end to end and adaptedto be removably positioned in the upper portion of the generator withits lower end uniting with the upper end of the spout, the oppositesides of the chute being slotted to admit steam, and the inclinedoppositely-extending shelves secured to opposite sides of the chuteabove the slots and adapted to interrupt the grain and cause it tofollow a zigzag course downward through the chute, substantially asshown and described.

9. In a wheat-steamer, the combination of a steam-chamber, a spoutleading therefrom, a chute depending in the chamber and at one sidecontracted to lit within the spout, said contracted side forming a shelfor inclined surface to deflect the grain before finally passingto thespout, the oppositely inclined shelves within the chute above saidinclined lower end, to divert the grain in zigzag course before reachingsaid inclined surface, the chute being open to the steam-chamber,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELI 'l. BUTLER. itnesses:

JOHN ADAMS, SAMUEL BAKER.

